mo 



F 190 
.63 W4 
Copy 1 




Johann Adam WeUWvr 



tl 



oii:r:viatv kiljh^mknt 



~ IN- 



MARYLAND 

UP TO THK YEAR 1700. 



^ 



13 



THE GERMAN KEKMKNT IN INIARYLAND 



MY REV. .J. A. VVEISHAAR. 



yy HETHEK Gernuuis were timong the 200 colonists, who, as 
followers of Leonard Calvert, landed here in the Fall 
of 1633, cannot be ascertained. Such may have been the case, 
as Germans participated also in the foundation of the colony 
of Virginia. It is however worthy of note, that only in one 
single instance in the history of Maryland, up to 1700, is 
the nationality of a German expressly mentioned. This we 
find in connection Avith the religions troubles in the colony, 
which led to the memorable " Battle of the Severn,'- 

Many names of Germans in the period spoken of, were 
undoubtedly adapted to English pronunciation ; and the muti- 
lation was carried to such an extent, that it is now impossible 
to make out their original spelling, and then, too, Geraians 
were generally termed " Dutch." As a matter of fact, how- 
ever, there Avas no real Germany at that time ; there were 
Bohemians, and Hessians, and Palatines, even Palatines who 
emigrated from Holstein (!) but seldom Germans. 

It is accordingly impossible to determine with accuracy 
how far Germans helped to make the early history of our 
State. It is nevertheless proved beyond all doubt, that Germans 
settled here in the very beginning of the colony. But the 
greater part came here as indentured servants ; that is to say, 
after having landed they were sold to cover the expense of 
their passage over. This was, however, until far into the 18th 
century, the case with most of the colonists Avho helped swell 
the population of Maryland. 

Although servants were distinguished from slaves and al- 
though in general theii" lot may have been bearable, yet it 
occured frequently that indentured persons sought to escape 
from servitude by flight. In the North of Maryland, on the 



14 

Delaware, were situated the Dutch settlements, where fugitives 
were received with open arms, and in Virginia they found pro- 
tection and encouragement. This state of things caused the 
colonial government to enact laws for preventing the desertion 
of servants. These laws were rigorously enforced, hut did not 
prove of avail to materially lessen the evil. Success was only 
possible when the contiguous colonies united for mutual action. 
Virginia gave the first impulse in the matter, by requesting 
the government of Maryland to reject all foreigners, i. e. serv- 
ants, who should come to the jorovince from Virginia, on the 
ground that such illegal emigrations would deprive the land 
of useful artisans and laborers. The negotiations thus initia- 
ted led to good results, as a resolution of the General Assembly 
of the year 16()9 Avill show. It reads as follows: 

"The freemen of the General Assembly do pray that it 
may be enacted and be it enacted by the lit. Hon. the 
Ld. Prop, with the advice and consent of the upper and 
lower House of this present General Assembly and the 
authority of the same, that there be a logg house prison 
twenty foot square built at Angustyne Herman's, in Bal- 
timore County, for the surety and safe keeping of run- 
aways and fugitives, as well such as shall come to us 
from our neighboring colonies."' 
It is worth mentioning with reference to this act, that at 
the first court session in Maryland, dealing with desertion from 
service, or rather with enticing to desertion, Germans were 
active, and that they also took a conspicuous part in the above 
mentioned communication from Virginia,' and finally in build- 
ing the first prison for deserters. 

On the 12th of December 1642, that is to say only nine 
years after the foundation of the colony, a case was brought 
before the provincial court of which we have the following- 
account : 

" Came afore the court Thomas White, Thomas Allen and 
Francis 8toure, by warrt. to ansAver to such things as 
should be obiected agst. them, and Michael = (a) Hacker 
spinster aged 20 years (maid servant of Jane Cockshott 
widd.) being sworne to give true evidence, said upon her 
oath, that upon Wednesday evening last, this deponent 



15 

being in her maistresses house at St. Iniges, Thomas 
White came to this dept. and asked her whether she would 
see her l)rother in Virginia and she asking him, how she 
might do so, he told her that he and Francis Stoure and 
his wife were to go soon to V^irginia she might go with 
them and that he would carry her downe, and she might 
be freed from this service.'' 

Upon this testimony White Avas sentenced to thirty lashes 
and was compelled to furnish security in a thousand pounds 
of tobacco, to "keep him from seducing others." Stoure and 
Allen were released, Avhich shows that they were free citizens. 
Stoure very likely was a German, his name having originally 
been spelled Stuher or Stauer. 

This petition from Virginia, which led to a species of 
treaty between the two colonies, claimed for its justification 
that the following persons had left Virginia to settle in Mary- 
land: " Augustyne Herman, born in Prague, Bohemia; Eph- 
raim Georgius and Casparus Herman ; Anna Margarethe, Judith 
and Franciska, daughters, born in New York ; Anna Hack, born 
in Amsterdam ; Georg and Peter Hack, born at Accomacke, in 
Virginia; and John Jarboe of Dijon, France, which have for 
many years lived in this Province." 

All these were naturalized in Maryland by act of Legisla- 
ture in 166.3, and they are, as far as known, the only persons 
who obtained naturalization in Maryland in this particular way. 
It is unfortunately impossible to say, from which part of 
Germany the Hacks came. One John Hack appears already as 
a witness at the Provincial Court at St. Mary's on the 30tli 
of September 1647. He ti-aded with the Indians, and though 
living in Virginia, he was well known in Maryland. He was 
l)robably the father of George and Peter Hack of Accomacke. 
He must have died before 1663. His widow and sons followed 
Augustin Herman to Maryland; the latter being brother-in-law 
to George Hack. About their life subseciuent to their emigra- 
tion very little is known. Tiie most prominent among them 
was George Hack. He was one of the subscribers to the so- 
called "Engagement of Northampton" of the 25th of March 
1651, by which the county took the part of the I'arliament, 



16 

that is of Cromwell and the Republic. Like his father he was 
a merchant, and besides that a physician ; for in the archives 
of Maryland we find under date of June 11th, 1663, the notice 
"That Dr. George Hack is permitted to export twenty barrels 
of corn." The name "Hack's Point," in Cecil County, indi- 
cates where the Hacks settled. 

Other families left Virginia at this time and emigrated to 
Maryland. In this connection a tragic occurence must be re- 
lated, which occured in 1661. Two Germans: Severin Hack 
and .John Norden, together with some others, were murdered 
by Indians on their way to Cecil County. It is probable that 
Severin was a son of George or Peter Hack. As the event just 
mentioned characterizes the state of things in the colony at 
that time it may be related according to the account given in 
the archives of Maryland. On the 20th of April 1661 Captain 
Utie received the following letter from William Hellingsworth, 
who had settled at Sandy Point: 

"These lynes of myne I am af ray d will be the intelligence 
of sad tidings. The 17th day of this month there de- 
pted. from hence three Englishmen, one Dutchman, their 
names I have not, William — , John Norden, Mr. Hack 
a Dutchman, and a cooper, which persons we fear are 
murthered by the Indians in their journey home. The 
Indians say their bodys lay at a place called Saquasehum." 

Investigation was made immediately, which proved the in- 
telligence to be correct. The dead bodies were found, and it 
was ascertained to which tribe of Indians the murderers be- 
longed. The chief of the tribe was summoned before the court 
to be held at Appaquimmin, September 19th, 1661. He ap- 
peared and by his cleverly conducted defense secured the acquit- 
tal of his men. The result of the trial shows also the equity, 
moderation and prudence of the colonists towards the Indians. 
The procedings are recorded as follows : 

" Came before the Court Pinna, King of Tickhattomitta 
in Delaware Bay showing that whereas there had been 
divers men slayne by the English belonging to the Pas- 
sajonke Indians now under his command; and amongst 
them his owne brother, in revensfe of which divers Ens- 



it 

lisli had been sltivne by those liulian.s. Y'et as did be- 
lieve, all these outrages were conunitted by the English 
without order from Governor and C'ouucell soe he did 
assure the Governor and Councell that those revenges were 
taken by his Indians without his or any of his greate 
men knowledge, therefore did desire that all might be 
forgotten and that from henceforth the Indians might 
live in peace with the English. — To which the Governor 
answered that as he did desire i)eaee, so he did desire 
Justice alsoe, and provided, that they would deliver 
up those Indians, that had killed John Xorden and 8e- 
verin Hack with his companions to be proceded against 
according to our Justice, he would come to articles of 
peace with him. 

Whereunto the said Pinna answered, that the English 
had begun the warre and first killed one of his men, 
as he was peaceable coming by their plantation, oversett 
the canowe, out of which the lost three guns. Afterward 
they pursued them into the woods and there shott at 
them, that as his Indians fled, in their way home they 
met the said Norden and Hack and companions, and 
contrary to the advise of an old man of the company 
that stood weeping by and perswading them to speake with 
the great men of the English first, did kill the said Xor- 
den and Hack and company, saying that the English 
would have warre. But that since that tyme the English 
had sett upon two canowes of Indians and killed five 
of them, and amongst them his own brother; all which 
notwithstanding he was willing and desirous to make a 
peace between us and his Indians. for«H'fting the blood 
of his owne brother." 

This statement did not fail to make an impression u\nm tht- 
court, the more so as the truth of it could not be denied. The 
murder of the two peaceable Germans remained judicially un- 
avenged; for as things then were the (Jovernment C(MiId not 
avoid accepting the proposition of the astute Indian. The 
articles of peace between the two parties were. signed by the 
English and Pinna, September lt)th, 10<il. 



•18 

111 the conflict between the religious and political factions, 
which checked the healthy development of the colony for years, 
mention is made of an unfortunate German who became the 
victim of party-rage. In the '' Battle on the Severn '' the Puri- 
tans had gained a decisive victory over the Catholics. But 
these pious conquerors Avere not satisfied with this success ; hav- 
ing tasted the blood of their enemies they thirsted for more. 
Ten of the prisoners captured in the battle were condemned to 
be shot, a sentence which would undoubtedly have been exe- 
cuted, had not sundry good-hearted wives of the Puritians saved 
six from the hands of their cruel husbands. Three officers, 
however, and a common soldier, the lattei* being a German, 
were shot. John Pedro, as the name of the German is writ- 
ten, was the servant of Lieutenant Eltonhead, and had come 
from England with his master only a few months previous to 
the battle. He devoted himself with his master to the cause 
of Lord Baltimore, and suffered death at his side. AVhat con- 
demned just these two to the fate of those who found no mercy 
from the Puritans, was the fact that Lieutenant Eltonhead had 
brought letters from England from which Governor Stone had 
learned that Lord Baltimore's patent was yet in force. This 
knowledge led Governor Stone to send the expedition against 
the Puritans. They therefore regarded Eltonhead as the real 
originator af the conflict. While executing him they thought 
fit to make his brave servant share his master's fate and shot 
him also. 

Till 1700 the emigration of Germans into Maryland was 
insignificant. The colony Avas the private property of a Catholic 
Lord, while the main contingent of German emigrants consisted 
of oppressed Protestants, who, nothwithstanding the liberties 
granted by Lord Baltimore, preferred to settle rather in New 
York, Pennsylvania or Virginia, than in Maryland. 

Just because Maryland was no crown-colony, it received 
no benefit from the exportations en masse of Germans (Palati- 
nates) which were made by England mainly to New York at 
the close of the seventeenth and at the beginning of the eight- 
teeiith centuries. Yet like single swallows announcing the com- 
ing spring, a number of Germans settled in Maryland during 
that period. They either came direct from Europe or emigrated 



10 

from the lu'igliboring colonies. The most i)rotiiineiit among 
these \v;is (he famous map-maker and Surveyor Augustine Her- 
man, from Prague, Bohemia. 

One of the first German emigrants into Maryland was 
Cornelius C'onimegys from Vienna, who settled in Cecil County. 
The circumstances connected with his coming here lead one to 
think that he had previously settled in the Dutch colony on 
the Delaware, M^here he had married a Dutch wife. On July 
30, irino, he received a patent for 150 acres of land, that is, 
for himself, his wife Wilhemintye. and his son Cornelius, 50 
acres respectively. There is no record of him as having been 
"transported" and he was accordingly entitled to take poses- 
sion of his land immediately. When in 1()79 the two Labadists 
Danker-Schilders and Sluyter-Vorstmann visited Maryland, they 
found Commegys in i)OSsession of a large farm, and his son 
Cornelius was about to buy a farm for himself. His tirst wife 
Wilhemintye, however, had died, and he Avas married again to 
an English woman. 

With Commegys four other Germans had arrived in Mary- 
land, namely : Andreas Kornelius, Arian Harman (Hermann), 
Alice, Christian and Magdalena Henner. About the later life 
of these nothing is known, but Danker iji 1679 met a "High- 
German" on the farm of Captain ]\liller, in Cecil County, where 
he lived as a Proctor or Advocate. This ])erson was probably 
either Herman or Kornelius. 

At Annapolis, then called " Port of Severn," John Beck 
landed in l()(i8. Pie was sold to a man in Baltimore County, 
it took him •■>() years to become a landowner, for it Avas not 
until the 12th of June l(i88, that a hundred acres were sur- 
veyed him in the newly formed Cecil County. 

John Best and Margareth Braune landed in PJ71. In 
the same year John Hacker with wife and four childreJi ar- 
rived at Annapolis. The ship Ctime from London and had on 
board, besides this family, a numl)er of indentured persons. 
The Hackers were sold to a certain Bryan in Talbot County, 
and had to struggle even longer than Beck, until they were 
able to accomplish something for themselves. On November 
1 6th, 1690, Hacker received 250 acres in Teilbot Countv. Eleven 



20 

years later there were surveyed in the same county 200 acres 
to another John Hacker, probably the son of the former. 

No other names of Germans, landed here before 1680, are 
contained in the lists of ])assengers i)reserved at Annapolis. 
There occur, however, a number of names which were, probably, 
originally German, but wear a decided English look. Where 
the following persons landed, whether at Annapolis or at 
Alexandria, Va., cannot be stated : 

Martin Faulkner, September 23rd, 10<-!0, received 150 acres 
in Anne Arundel County. He called his land "Martin's Eest"' 
and had to pay six shillings tax "in gold or silver"; Nicklas 
Gross made application for. and received in the same year 40 
acres. 

Further settled : Daniel Hast, August 30th, 1080, in So- 
merset (*ounty; Robert Knapp, September 22nd, 1681; Chris- 
toph Geist, August 10th, 1684, in Baltimore County; William 
Gross, October 24th, 1684, in St. Mary's County ; Richard 
Schippe, the same; John Leniger, October 10th, 1683, in Balti- 
more County; liudolph Brandt, June 12th, 1686, in Charles 
County. The latter must have been here some time before and 
must have become well accpiainted with the colony and its laws. 
A certain Smith, whose land lay adjoining to Brandt's settle- 
ment, claimed 115 acres of Brandt's land as belonging to him. 
Thereupon Brandt had the deeds in the laud office searched, 
and these proved Smith to be in the Avrong. Subsequently the 
land was declared to he Brandt's property. The same process 
was repeated in the case of 169 acres, some years later. 

Ann Gross and Thomas Rigge received land in 1685 ; both 
in Baltimore Countv. 

There are recorded the names of two Germans, who seem 
to have been exceptions among their less fortunate countrymen. 
William Blankenstein is termed a " Gent," that is to say, he 
had paid for his passage and possessed some fortune after hav- 
ing arrived. He must have arrived about 1685 and remained 
for some time at St, Mary's, the residence of Lord Baltimore. 
His warrant dates from that year. He probably was a noble- 
man from Germany. In 1687 he received 400 acres in Cecil 
County. John Falkner was one of the fe^v Avho bought their 
land. On June 1st, 1685, there were sold to him in Charles 



County •■>00 acres for oUd^i poumls of good ami merchantaljlc 
tol)at'Co.'" Why thit< was (lone is not nientionod. It is strange 
however, as there was plenty of land. wJiieh could be liad with- 
out paying for it.*) 

Up to the close of the century the following })ersons 
received lanil in the ordinary way: 'J'homas Faulkner, June 
12th, 168S. in Talbot County. William Gross, May 2nd, 1685), 
in the same County; William i.an^e. November 10th, 1G91; 
Robert Hadler, Ajiril 4th, lOSii, both in Baltimore County, and 
finally Francis Spermann, July 1st, 1700. in Kent County. 

The emigration of Peter Sluyter, the founder and leader 
of the Labadist settlement on the Hoheiinan Kiver deserves 
special mention. Sluyter was from Wesel in the llheinland, 
his original name having been N'orstmann. But before his 
immigration hither he substituteil the name JSluyter, more 
properly si)elled Schluter. He was a theologian, but with his 
brother had joined the Labadists at Amsterdam. Whilst his 
brother soon left the sect, he remained and became one of 
their prominent members. In KiT'.t he and dasper Danker 
(Schilders) were sent to America by tlie mother-colony at Wie- 
AVerd to look for a suitable place for the foundation of a daughter- 
colony which was then in contem})lation. T'lie two emissaries 
left Wiewerd on the 8th of June, 1079, and returned after a 
most successful voyage on the 12tli of October, 1680. A suit- 
able situation had been secured, and besides that a goodly 
number of adherents to the sect had been gained. Among 
these was Ephraim, the oldest son of Augustin Herman. 

The description of the voyage, written by the learned wine- 
racker Danker in the form of a Journal, has been preserved and 
contains many interesting Jiotes on contemporary conditions in 
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and ^laryland. 

On the 27th of July, 1683, Sluyter and Danker again 
arrived at New York, and furthei- succeeded with the aid of 
Ephraim in oljtaining a large tract of land from Augustin Her- 
man on the Bohemian River. Old Mr. Herman even promised 
to erect the necessary buildings for the colony. The deed of 
convevance of the land was executed bv Augustin Hernum on 



•') The siniplo nn<\ natural C'xj)laiiati(iii is that tliis wa.« iinpro\-e(l laivl. //. M', 



the 11th of August, 1684, to Peter fSluyter and Jasper Danker 
from Frieslaiul, Petrus Bayard from New York, John Moll and 
Arnoldus de la Grange from Delaware. 

Moll and de la Grange immediately released their interest 
in the land to Sluyter and Danker, Bayard did the same in 
1688, which indicates, that they had allowed their names to be 
used for the purpose of deceiving Augustin Herman. (More 
particulai's of the mutual relations of Herman and the Labadists 
are given in connection with the short account of the life of 
Augustin Herman.) 

Sluyter and Danker were naturalized on September the 31st, 
1684; the name of the former being given in the act as Slayter, 
and of the latter Dauntrees, — a tine specimen of the way in 
which names were adapted to the English Language. 

After the possession of the land Avas secured, the two 
Labadists took measures to provide shelter for the expected 
colonists. Soon a company of men and w^omen, including 
several families arrived from Wiewerd, and the commuity was 
inaugurated according to the rules of Labadic. Danker how- 
ever returned to Holland and there conveyed his interests in 
the possession on the Bohemian Hiver to Sluyter. Thus this 
man became sole proprietor of the whole tract, and supreme 
leader of the community as well. He declared himself "Bishop" 
under Yvon the "Archbishop" at Wiewerd, and kept his Hock 
under the most rigorous discipline. 

His wife was installed as a kind of an abbess over the 
female members of the community, and as far as keeping her 
inferiors well in hand was concerned, she seems to have been 
as much feared by them as Avas her husband by the men. 

The whole enterprise howevei', unsound as it was in its 
first i)rinciples, never became flourishing. But Sluyter himself 
evidently liked his position as "Bishop" and proprietor not so 
badly, for when Yvon requested him to retnrn to Wiewerd, he 
preferred to disobey his "Archbishop" and to stay Avhere he 
was. In the course of time he deviated farther and farther 
from the statutes of Labadie. He became a successful tobacco- 
])lanter and a regnlar slavetrader; and he has been charged 
Avith having been exceptionally cruel towards his slaA'es. 



'IMie community, governed by him, never exceeded the 
number of a hundred members, and in a comparatively short 
time most of these had dispersed. Iii ](\9S besides liimself only 
eiglit male members remained, whose names were: Herman van 
Herkelo, Nicholas de la ^[ontaigne, Petrus de Koning, Derick 
Kolchman. John Moll, jr., ITondriek Sluyter and Samuel 
Hayard, 

Hendrick Sluyter was a cousin of Peter Sluyter, and must 
have emigrated shortly after the foundation of the community ; 
for he shared witli the others, when in lfi9S the whole jwsses- 
sion was divided among the surviving jnembers. 

Peter Sluyter Avas a wealthy man when he died in 17*22. 
He left by will ''all his estate, the plantation and land belong- 
ing to it, negroes, horses, cattle, household-stuff, and what had 
been belonging to his apothecary shop and chemistry" to his 
son-in-law, Petrus Bonchell, which indicates that he had no 
descendant of his name. 

He had a brother living at the time of his death ; but 
Avhen his brother had emigrated is not known, probably after 
the year 1700—. 

As has been mentioned before, none of the Germans who 
settled in Maryland in the Seventeenth century became as 
famous as Augustine Herman, the founder of Cecil County. 
In the archives of Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania and 
Virginia, there is sufificient historical material on hand to give 
in some degree a complete account of his life. 

Bohemians, Hollanders and Germans claim him as theirs; 
German and Czech-Bohemians still wander to his ancient settle- 
ment on the Bohemian River to gaze with reverence on the spot 
where he lived and died, though neither the time of his death 
nor the place of his burial are known. 

Augustine Herman was of German nationality and was 
born at Prague, Bohemia, l(i21. The year of his birth is 
erroneously given by others as lfi05. But in his last will, 
written September 27th, 1684, subscribing his name, he gives 
his age as follows: ''Augustine Herman, Bohemian, aetatis 63. 
The time of his arrival in America can only be approximately 
estimated. What we can sav with certaintv is that he lived 



sometime in Amsterdam, Holland, and in the service of the 
Dutch- Westindia Company arrived at New Amsterdam (New 
York). Here he soon gained a reputation in political affairs, 
although in a contemporary register of citizens he is classified 
as belonging to the second or smaller citizen-class. When the 
Dutch colonists on the Hudson despatched nine delegates to 
Holland to complain against the Governor and the above named 
Company, Herman was one of the nine men. He never reached 
Holland, however, but married in 1650 Janekin Verlett, the 
sister of a wealthy merchant and a relative of Governor 8tuyve- 
sant. 

Herman made common cause with the discontented col- 
onists and thus incurred the hostility of Stuyvesant; the autocrat 
even cast him into prison as a traitor. Yet in the course of 
time circumstances must have brought the two into friendly 
relations again, for in 1659 we find Herman as Stuyvesant's 
Ambassador to Governor Fendall of Maryland. A dispute had 
arisen concerning the Dutch Colony on the Delaware. C'aptain 
Utie had in brutal language declared that a part of the colony 
in question belonged to Maryland, and he demanded with threats 
of the alarmed colonists, that they should either leave the 
district or subject themselves to the authority of Maryland. 
Stuyvesant accordingly sent a military expedition to the Dela- 
ware with strict orders to seize Ftie as a spy. But when the 
Dutch arrived there, Utie had re])aired to a safe }dace, having 
gone l)ack in time to Patuxent. Notwithstanding the failure 
of his military expedition, Stuyvesant hoped to accomplish his 
purpose by sending an embassy. But the negotiation conducted 
by his delegates failed also to lead to an agreement; this, how- 
ever, must not surprise us since in the council, which had to 
decide the matter, the same Ftie, who was the real originator 
of the whole ti'ouble, was sitting as a membei". 

This was on October the 6th. Kiol). 

After the delegates had been answered by a refusal, Her- 
man instructed his collegue Kesolveil, (or Rosevelt) Waldron to 
return to New Amsterdam and to deliver there the unpleasant 
message, whilst he went to \'irginia, pretending to ask the 
advice of the Governor of Virginia, as to how an agreement 
l^etween the Hollanders and Marvlanders could be an-ived at. 



Hilt 111 reulitv lie scoius to huve bec-oni.' utterly tiivil of livlno' 
itnioii<>- the heavy and sluggish Mynheers on the Hudson and 
desirous of iieciuiring j, new homestead. 

After visiting (Jeorge Hack, his brother-in-law at Accoinacke, 
he returned to .Maryland in tiie Spring (.f KWlo and decided lo 
settle here. 

He was documented as a Deiiizi-n already on Januarv Ulli. 
!'><!<', but his naturalization dates from Sei)tember 17th". lf;(J3. 
and was ordered by an act of the I'pper House of >rarvland. 
the following being a literal copy of the document: 

"Then was read the ])et"n of Augustyiie Herman for an 
Act of Naturalization for hiniselfe, chililren, and his 

brother-in-lawe George Hack. Ordereil likewise that 

an Act of Naturalization be i)rei)ared for Augustyne Her- 
man and his children and his brother-in-lawe", George 
Hack, and his wife and (diildren." 
liesides this there is extant a notice under date of IfJfiG, 
which declares that the naturalization of Herman was affirmed. 
This circumstantiality is explained by the fact that Herman 
was afraid of being claimed by the Dutch as a subject of theirs; 
and we may well believe that he never returned to New York 
as long as that i^lace was a Dutch Colon v. 

A legend that has long been in circulation in the upper 
l)art of Cecil County, however, seems to point to the contrary. 
After having settled in Maryland, Herman is said to have 
returned to New York to arrange his affairs, but for some 
unkown cause Avas soon imprisoned. In order to gain an o})portu- 
nity for escape he feigned madness, and begged to be allowed 
the company of his horse, a line gray charger. This peculiar 
petition was granted; but no sooner had the horse been brought 
to him than he mounted and took his way through the windows 
of the prison, twenty feet from the ground. Closely jmrsued 
by his enemies he reached New Castle on the Dehuvare. The 
horse swam the river with his rider and died from over-exer- 
tion after he had brought his master in security to the further 
shoi'e. 

This legend may be leased upon a real occurence, for Her- 
man possessed a painting, commemorating a similar event. Of 
this picture two copies are yet extant. 



These very disputes about the ('oh)ny on the Delaware had 
taught Herman liow valuable a good niaj), conii)rising the whole 
section of the Delawai'e and C'hesapeake Bays, would be. He 
offered his services to Lord Baltimore to make a map of the 
colony, if His Lordship would grant him a certain amount of 
land with the privilege of a manor. Lord Baltimore gladly 
accepted the offer and in a letter of September 18th, 1660, he 
instructed his Governor to assign to Herman 4000 acres of land. 

Herman Avas now entitled to select the land where he 
deemed best; the only stipulation being that it should not 
comprise tracts which had already been surveyed for other 
colonists. This he carefully avoided. He chose his land on 
the Elk River, where scarcely the foot of a Avhite man had 
ever trod. There the silence of the dense primeval forest was 
disturbed only by the music of nature: the sigh of the wind, 
the lively call of the wippurwill or mocking bird and the rustle 
of the dry leaves under the foot of the roe or bear. Unmolested 
by the plough and the axe of the white settlers, there yet stood 
the wigwam of the red man, and the chief with his Avarriors 
held council a))out the next deerhunt. The land belonged to 
the Avild and Avarlike tribe of the Susquehannocks, and, as it Avas 
dangerous to Avander Avithin their domain, the 4000 acres Avere 
superficially estimated, and Hei'man Avas left to come to an 
understanding with the savages. But Herman on his voyage 
as Ambassador had already taken a vicAV of the land and had 
probably even smoked the peace pii)e with tlie chief of the 
Susquehannocks. 

Li the early days of 1001 he started for his intended ntnv 
Homestead and on .January 14th bought from the Indians the 
Avhole complex lying east of the upper part of the Chesapeake 
Bay. After the conclusion of his treaty Avitli the Indians, 
Herman communicated his success to Lord Baltimore, Avho was 
highly pleased with the intelligence and promised Herman in 
a letter of September 18th, 1001, every privilege he should 
need; His Lordship having understood the communication as 
though it Avere the intention of his ncAv vassal to build a toAvn, 
he decided as a special favor that the place should be called 
C'ecilton, and the country around it Cecil County. But this 
was far from Herman's purpose: he rather Avished to keep his 



ii7 

Manor solitary, and like tin- han.ns in Euroiu., t.. nmk.. Lis liA- 
as inclopendeiit and distiiiouislu-d as possible. 

'I'houoh Lord Baltimore was somewhat disai)i.oinh-d in his 
expet'tiitioii. ye( from the above named letter (.riginates the 
formation and name of Cecil Connty. Herman phurted his new 
Home in the forest wilderness, and having things settled fairlv 
he betook himself to the work of making the promised maii 
of Maryland. 

AI)ont this lime must have occurred the death of his wife 
hisJanekin: for in the act of his naturalization all the mem- 
bers of his family are mentioned, except Mrs. Herman which 
would not liave been the case if she had been still livin<r at 
that time. The name of Mrs. Herman is likewise still missin- 
in the first will of Herman, made Mav t>4th. KKJI ; and a .li.^T- 
position concerning his grave and burial, dated KiOn, .n'ves 
undisputable evidenc that Herman was a widower at that Time; 
he wrote : 

" r do ai>point my burial and sej)ulcher if I dw in this 
Bay or in Delaware, to l)e in Bohemia .Manor in mv 
garden by my wife Johanna \'arlett"s, and that a great 
sepulcher stone shall be errected ui)on our graves three 
feet above gi'ound like unto a table with engriiven letters, 
that 1 am the first seater and be-rinner of Bohemia Manor' 
A. D. KUK) and died - 

While at work on his map, Herman was chosen Represent- 
ative of Baltimore County to the General Assembly. This is 
shown by a resolution of that body in the month "of October 
UUVS. There was ordered: 

"That every (.'ounty shall satisfve unto their Representative 
liurgesses All their necessary Expenses for meate, drinke 
and lodging for themselves and charges of Boate and hands 
for this ensuing cropp. As also one hundred ]K)iinds of 

Tobacco unto Lientenant Coll. .larboe one thousand 

pounds of Tobacco to :Mr. Augustyne Herman."" 

Ill a comparatively short time Herman was able to 
complete his map of Maryland. Besides the territorv now 
included 111 that State, it comprised also the who!.- section 



28 

between Xortli Carolina and the Hudson River. After the 
fashion of the time he embellished the map ^vith his own 
portrait. This ])icture is the only one we possess and has been 
jmblished in several liistorical Avorks. The map, athongh in 
some respects deficient, was a tine specimen of workmanship 
and obtained ample recognition and })raise. 

In 1670 he sent his j)roud work to Lord Baltimore, who 
was at that time residing at London, England. Li a letter 
accompanying the map he stated that in addition to his own 
labor he had incurred about 200 pounds Sterling expenses, but 
history is silent as to Avhether he ever received any further 
compensation. In a flattering letter addressed to him, however, 
it was stated : 

""That His Lordshi}> had received no small Satisfaction by 
the variety of that mai)p, and that the Kings Majesty, His 
Royall Highness, and all others commended the exactness 
of the work, applauding it for the best mapp, that ever 
was drawn of any country." 

Hernuui had gained a prominent position in the political 
atfairs of the Colony. It has Ijeen })revi()usly mentioned that 
the first prison for the accommodation of fugitives and runaAvays 
was erected on his plantation. He also fllletl the office of a 
sheriff in Baltimore County, lender date of March Gth, lG(i9, 
we And among the proceedings of the (ieneral Assembly the 
following i)assage : 

" Fi)on reading of the Act ])revi'ntiug Servants and Ci'iminal 
l)ersons from running out of this province, the House 
thought fit to add this Provisoe in it: Providing always 
that til Seals from each Several and respective County C'ourt 
(■an be had to seal passes As is aforesaid, that all jjasses 
sealetl with the Seal of Augustine Herman, aforesaid and 
signed l»y him. which he is hereby authorized, from time 
tinu' to sign aiul seal for the fee of oiu' Sl)illing for 
each ])ass." 

Further, on .luly -1th, Kii;,"). he was sworn in as one of 
the Lieutenants who wei'e to be at the disposal of Captain 
Sibrey, ('onmiissioner of public security. 



29 

111 building the '-logg lioiiso pris.)!!" and in keeping pris- 
oners he believed himself to huve lost money (timt is U) say 
tobacco) Hiid in a ^'remonstrance" of the 8tli of April, 1071, 
he petitioned for a further subtentiun by the Goverument. He 
did not succeed, however, for the Lower House resolved as 
follows: 

^'This house having perused this Remonstrance and de- 
manded An Account of Augustyne Herman for 10,000 lbs. 
tobco. raised by Act, and what, tobco. he hatt received 
of and for I'risoners and he having sent the same as 
inclosed : This House not being therewith Satisfyed have 
thrown the same out of this house as not conceiving the 
Remonstrance or the Proposals herein necessary ore reason- 
able. They judging his Prison a Charge to the County." 
This resolution was submitted to the Upper House, which 
quite naturally api)roved it, leaving Herman to come to an 
understanding with the county authorities of Baltimore County. 
It would api)ear that in all Herman did for the public 
good, he acted upon the princi])le of looking out tirst for his 
own welfare, and in the administration of his ot!ice as Countv 
Commissioner he was never over-scrupulous. Some years after 
the affair of the "Ikmionstranee" he became involved in afar 
more serious case, which was brought before the Legislature on 
May 19th, IfiTH. On that date a certain Mi-. Frisbe ai)peai-ed 
before the Lower House as plaintiff against the County Com- 
missioners of Cecil County. From the decision then made by 
the House we may learn the nature of the eomplaint. This is 
the jiurport of it : 

''This House upon full examination of the business between 
Mr. Frisbe and the County Commissioners of Cecill County 
are of Oi)inion that Augustine Herman, Abraham Wilde 
and Henry Ward are guilty of a Pyott in cutting Mr. 
Frisbe's Timber off his Land l)y force aiul under Cojh.ur 
of authoritv." 

'rhis decision was sent to the Cjiper House for ai.i)roval. 
which on the same day issued the following order: 

"That the i)ai)ers between Mr. Frisbe and Mr. Harman 
etc. be Sent to the Attorney (ien'll, and that an Indict- 
ment be by him drawne r])on the Same." 



The weak side in Herman's nature was evidently a too 
great eagerness to accumulate earthly possessions. In tlie course 
of time he had l)rought his holdings of land in Cecil County 
to nearly 30,000 acres; besides this he owned land in Xew York. 
(A parcel near the BoweiT was called long afterwards "Herman's 
Orchard." ) This vast amount of land caused him endless troubles 
aiul disagreeable suits at law. On one ocasion he ascertained 
that a jiiece of land transferred to him was s\vanii)y and unfit 
for cultivation ; aiul again that a ti'act was not as extensive as 
his titles indicated, and that he accordingly was overtaxed- 
Thus, new titles had to l)e made out, or the old ones amended. 
And finally it occurred that other colonists came and settled 
on his land, obstinately refusing to acknowledge his owner- 
shij). There is es])ecially one case, which deserves mention. 
A certain Browning insolently claimed 1400 acres of Herman's 
land as belonging to him. Xaturally the matter had to be 
brought l)efore the court. But the old Patriarch, lying sick 
and weak at home, was unable to undertake the journey to 
Patuxent in order to present his case personally. )So he j)ut 
down his complaint, and credulously entrusted the delivery of 
the })aper to the vei'y same Browning, against whom it was 
directed. Browning did nevertheless actually deliver it. but 
intercepted the answer which Governor Hewellin had written 
for Herman and disajjpeared somewhere in Virginia. During 
the summer Hernum recovered from his illness sufficiently to 
be able to risk the journey to Patuxent. Arriving there, he 
Avas greatly surprised at learning that his affair had been long 
ago settled. 

To make things sure. Governor Hewellin issued the follow- 
in proclanuition : 

"AVhereas John Browning of ]V)hemia with George Holland 
have privatly and secretly shared and surveyed thirteen 
01* fourteen hundred Acres of T.and out of Herman's 
Bohemia River Middle Xeck with intend to snip also a 
Quantity out of the Manor itself under false, deluding 
pretence ami coulour: 

T'here are therefore to warn and forewarne every one 
whom it mav concern, not to Ijuv or to meddle with the 



31 

said Land, for tlud Augustine Herman shall niaintaine 
and make a])peare that both the said traets of Land are 
to him a proper gift of and from the Kt. Ilonor'l)! Lortl 
J'roprietor (for making the Mapp of Maryland ) of about 
twenty years standing and ever since confirmed." 
"EVERY ONE liEWAHE OF A CHEAT K." 

But Merman was not at all satisfied with this proclamation 
and would not return to Bohemia Manor until an entirely new 
title had been made out for him. — 

The dispute between the Hollanders and Mary hinders for 
tlie possession of the J~)utch colony on the JJehware, in the 
course of which Herman had come to Maryland as Ambassador, 
had not yet been decided. At this }>oint .lames U. of England 
brought the (piarrel to a summary close with one stroke of the 
pen by donating t(> his brother, the Duke of York, the whole 
district between the Connecticut and the Delaware. 

Stuyvesant may have ))een angry with his Aml)assador Her- 
man, because tiie hitter had not exercised more energy and 
})erseverance in defending the cause of the Dutch: what good 
was it for? On September the 8th, 1G64, Stnyvesant was him- 
self obliged to surrender New Amsterdam ingU)riously to the 
British, because his mutinous and sluggish Hollanders refused 
to fight. 

In the meanwhile new quarrels had ari?;en, this time 
concerning the l)oundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania, 
and in these also Herman in his old days became involved. 
His house was designated as a meeting place where the negotia- 
tions l)etween Lord Baltimore and (iovernor Markham of Penn- 
sylvania should take ])lace. In the Spring of l(i8"-i the first 
meeting was to be held, but as f^ord Baltimore was having 
trouble with his own obstinate colonists and tiie hostile Vir- 
ginians, he sent commissioners in his stead. Owing to Mark- 
ham's double dealing and his failure to api)ear, no agreement 
eould l)e arrived at. In the Fall of the same year Lord Balti- 
more was twice at Bohemia Manor and on both occasions he 
was disappointed by the Quaker Markham. Thus the regula- 
lation of the boundary between the two colonies had to remain 
for the present unsettled. 



32 

After these visits of Lord Baltimore to Bohemia ]\I;inor, 
Herman meddled no further with public affairs. 'I^he evening 
of his life was now approaching, but by no means an unclouded 
and })eaceable one, such as he might seem to have deserved 
after a life so full of action and rich in experience. Domestic 
cares and troubles darkened the evening-sky of his life. Accord- 
ing to a re]X)rt of the Lal)adist Jasper Danker (Schilders), he 
had aftei" the death of his first Avife married an English woman. 
Although a second marriage of Herman can not ])e proved by 
any official record, yet the account of Danker deserves full 
credit, as it is based upon })ersonal acquaintance and observation. 
Danker mentions twice this second Avife, and, according to him, 
she mnst have l)eeu an extremely wicked jiersou. a I'egular 
"hose Sieben." 

On i)age 195 (English translation l)y A[ur})hy) of the jour- 
nal he writes: "His (Herman's) plantation was going much 
into decay, as well as his body for want of attention. There 
was not a Christian man, as they term it, to serve him; nobody 
but negroes. All this w^as increased by a miserable, doubly 
miserably wife, but so miserable, that 1 will not relate here. 
All his children have l)een compelled on her account to leave 
their fathers' house. He s})oke to us of his land and said he 
would never sell or hire to Englishmen, but would sell it to 
us cheap, if we were inclined to buv," etc. 

This entry in the Journal dates from the 3rd of December, 
lfi79, when Danker first became acquainted Avith Herman. 
^Irs. Herman had very probably favoured the Labadists Avith 
a stormy reception. J5ut Augustine Herman also receives his 
share from the pious Danker. On page 230 of the journal of 
December 26th avc read: 

"Ephraim Hermans is the oldest child of Augustine Her- 
man; there are living two brothers and three sisters, one 
of Avhom resides now at Amsterdam. They are all of a 
Dutch mother, after Avhose death their father married 
an English Avoman, Avho is the most artful and despicable 
creature that can lie found. He is a very godless person, 
and his Avife, by her Avickedness, has compelled all these 
children to leave their fathers' house and live elsAvhei-e." 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



3.'? 



014 3S9 357 



These "eiilooics"' nuist nut surprise us and eau lianllv he 
hikeii as according with the facts ; for Danker in Iiis journal 
seems to consi(h>r all people wicked, who showed no inclination 
to enil)race tlie docti-ines of the I.ahadists. Those who did are 
praised as ])ious, liodly, teiider-liearted. etc. 

Mr. and Mrs. llennan were among the former chiss, and 

lierefore had to submit to he thus censured. Indeed, the verv 

^\')rst of the evils that befell the old Magnate on the Bohemian 

IJi^er, came in the ti-ain of the Labadists witli thcii- intrigues 

;ij,,]\machinations. 

j^N^had always lieen tlie ju-oud endeavor and favorite Avisii 
"f Jleri'^^'^l^ t^ ''*^' ^^1^ founder of a new Noblefamily, wliich 
'hnjugJi ^1'^ oldest son Ephraim should be linked to coming 
jr-nerations \. But herein he had to experience the bitterest 
disappointnuVnt of his life. Shortly after his marriage to Eliza- 
I)eth van Koc.^eiiburgh, Ephraim had met Danker and Hluyter 
in Xew Y^ork, \and in their company brought his young wife 
to New Castle, ,Vhere he was at that time clerk of" the Court. 
Me and his wife a vere soon caught by the cunning Sluyter for 
the Labadist sect; Iv^uid by the aid of Ephraim these intruders 
succeeded in obtaini ng almost 3000 arces of Herman's ])est 
land. 

Herman found out iVx) late with whom he had been dealing: 
even the Court, to whicl.', he applied in the matter, decided 
against him. In 1(;84 ht^ mude his last will, and the affixed 
codicil shows clearly his .sentiment towards the Labadists; 
he wrote: 

"Whereas my eldest Son Ephraim Herman on the other 
side above named, hath e ngaged himself deeplv unto t.) 
lal)ady faction and Kelig ion, seeking to persuade and 
entice his brother Caspavi,s and Sisters to incline there- 
unto alsoe, whereby itt is upo„ good ground suspected 
that they will prove noe true executors of this my last 
aviU " 

He\l'man"s apprehensions thi.t his whole j)()ssession migjit 
fall to the Labadists were well fouiuU-d: he accordingly directed 
in tlie codicil, that after his deatli the Court should appoint 
three persons, whose duty it shoull 1,^ to attend to the lawful 

\ 



84 

exet'ution of liis will. Tliis codicil, however, whs dechiretl void, 
hiivino- l)eeii subscribed to by five men who wiiere no free 
citizens and therefore could not ttike a legal oath. 

This Avill Avas opened August 10th, UiSr;. 

In accordance with the confused ideas of the Labadists 
concerning married life, the weak-minded Ephraim iibandoned / 
his wife, though he had hail two children by her. He is said/ 
however, to have reiiented later on and to have returned to Mk 
wife; but his fate Avas an almost literal fulfillment of Ais 
fathers' course, that he should not survive his adherenc'e to 
the sect for two years; for he soon fell sick, lost hi/miiul 
and finally died in lf)K9. 7 

Thus ended the " Second Lord of Bohemia Mano;; " three 
years after the first Lord-Pioneer Augustiiu^ Herma]! had been 
freed from all Lal)adist and teri-estrial e\ ils. Of ;; third Lord 
of Bohemia I\[anor the history of .Alaryland kno.vs nothino-. 



\ 



J 



; 



/ 



/ 



/ 



/ 



/ 






LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




014 369 357 • 



